BS 9999 A personal perspective from a Fire Engineer

1
BS 9999 A personal perspective from a Fire
Engineer
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BS 9999 vs ADB Swings Roundabouts.

• Exits widths
• Most (not all) cases, increased occupancies or
  reduced exit widths more efficient space
  planning
• Treatment of sprinklers
• Life safety enhancements
• Increased concessions (travel distances, exit
  widths, compartment areas)
• Treatment of voids
• ADB exception
• Compartment areas
• Useful in assembly buildings more logical
• Management needs

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BS 9999 vs ADB Swings Roundabouts.

• Further education college
• - 3 storeys
• - Interconnecting voids
• Two very different solutions

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BS 9999 vs ADB Swings Roundabouts.
ADB
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BS 9999 typical applications

• Further education college compartment area/exit
  widths
• Leisure centre compartment area/exit widths
• Office refurbishments increased occupancies
• New offices reduced exit widths

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BS 9999 - pick and mix?

• Applying the travel distance and exit sizing in
  isolation
• Interrelations difficult to pinpoint (voids,
  basement stairs etc)
• Essential that a thorough review of fire safety
  features in considered
• Reduced scope for fire engineering with BS 9999?

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BS 9999 A personal perspective from a fire
engineer

• Points to consider
• Efficiency of narrower 850mm exits need to
  exercise judgement?

Nightclub 4 x 850mm exits 4.5m ceiling L2
detection system
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BS 9999 A personal perspective from a fire
engineer

• ADB
• Exits provide capacity for 330 people

Nightclub 4 x 850mm exits 4.5m ceiling L2
detection system
110
110
110
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BS 9999 A personal perspective from a fire
engineer

• BS 9999
• Risk profile B2?
• Door widths base on minimum measures
  4.1mm/person
• Reduction due to L2 detection and ceiling height
  3.3mm/person 257 people/exit 771 total
  (more than twice ADB)

Nightclub 4 x 850mm exits 4.5m ceiling L2
detection system
257
257
257
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BS 9999 A personal perspective from a fire
engineer

• Where premises contain provisions for the
  consumption of alcoholic beverages then a
  reduction in the travel distances of 25 might be
  advisable
• where a room is crowded, the time to evacuate
  becomes less dependent upon the travel distances
  and more dependent upon queuing behaviour at the
  exits and so door capacity becomes the critical
  feature of the design

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BS 9999 a missed opportunity?

• Fire fighting measures
• Very similar to BS 5588 Part 5
• Requirements for FF Shafts still based on purpose
  groups rather than risk
• Sprinkler concessions similar to ADB
• Conflict between Table 19 and Table 21?

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BS 9999 Summary

• A welcome addition to the engineers tool-kit
• A few areas of ambiguity (keeps me in a job!)
• Needs a thorough understanding to apply
  appropriately, and check adequacy of solutions